Sarah Rodi enjoyed a spot of lunch at new Greek restaurant Lemoni in The Oracle, Reading

On the pretty riverside at The Oracle shopping centre, independent restaurant Lemoni has opened, bringing authentic Greek cuisine to Reading. The restaurant looked so inviting, surrounded by an abundance of pretty blooms, that I decided to meet a friend there one day on my lunch break.

Scanning the menu, we discovered it offers a range of traditional dishes with a modern twist, and is so light and fresh inside, with a buzzing atmosphere to boot, you can almost imagine yourself to be dining in the Mediterranean on holiday.

There's a meze (or mezzedakia) menu if you want to try several small dishes, or a two or three-course lunch menu, and then the main à la carte menu.

My friend and I opted for the two courses for £10.95 - a reasonable price to pay.

For my starter, I chose the house Lemoni Salad, which came in a large bowl and was full of fresh ingredients, including shredded white cabbage and beetroot on a bed of arugula and baby spinach leaves, and finished with a Lemoni carrot vinaigrette sauce, walnuts and balsamic cream. I love beetroot, and this had a perfect mixture of crunch and crisp salad leaves.

For main, I went for the chicken souvlaki, which was a chicken fillet skewer in traditional Greek pitta bread with tomatoes, lettuce and Lemoni mayonnaise sauce. It was enormous, and it also came with chips! Cooked by Greek chefs, the chicken was really succulent and despite its size, I didn't want to waste a mouthful.

This was all washed down with their signature Greek Lemoni cocktail; after all, it would have been rude not to try it! When I asked what was in it, the friendly waiter told us it was made with Matarelli Ouzo, vodka, lemon thyme and truffle. It was thick and decadent, the truffle giving it an aromatic flavour - and it felt a little bit naughty for a Friday lunchtime, but very, very nice.

The menu also offers traditional sweet treats, described as "the fairytales of the kitchen", but the portions here are huge, so we were too full to try one on this occasion.

For a lovely Mediterranean experience you won't forget, I can recommend trying this new Reading restaurant.

- The best Berkshire restaurants - Whether you're looking for fine dining, pub food, a romantic meal for 2 or a taste of something from further afield, eating out in Berkshire really has something for everyone. Here's our guide to the best local restaurants and pubs